Portable gin pole



j A. J. NEFF PORTABLE GIN POLE Aug. 30, 1938.

Filed Sept. 22, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 30, 1938. A, J NEFF 2,128,712

( PORTABLE GIN POLE Filed Sept. 22, 1936' a Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 30, 1938.

A. J. N EFF 2,128,712

PORTABLE GIN POLE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 ,Filed Sept. 22, 1956 Aug. 30, 1938. J NEFF 2,128,712

PORTABLE GIN POLE 1 Filed Sept. 22, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 4 1 2 x3 24 g0 22 29 I" 5 1W l I Z l 3 I j /5 r I l l l l 5 j l --I Li- Aug. 30, 1938. A. J. NEFF PORTABLE GIN POLE Filed Sept. 22, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 4/ 3 f M a 2 Q ,J m a 1 r I w w .wL/fl T (W! w\ m 9 wu a Q I M O Aug. 30, 1938. A. J. NEFF PORTABLE GIN POLE Filed Sept. 22, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 "UNITED. srArEs Patented 'Aug. 30, 1938 PATENT PORTABLE om POLE Laredo. Tex.

Application September 2 2, ms, serial No. 102.050

14 Claim.

pole which can be easily and quickly erected and taken down with a minimum of hazard to workmen engaged in raising and lowering the same, there being special means for controlling and operating the pole.

A further object is to form the gin pole of a telescopic mast having means whereby it can be locked automatically in extended position without necessitating the usual and dangerous procedure of someone climbing the mast to insert a locking device.

A further object is to provide a means whereby the extended mast can be unlocked and shortened by an operator standing on the ground.

I A still further object is to equip the mast with a built-in telescopic jack constituting a base for emciently and quickly assuming the weight of the mast and its load.

Another object is to provide an automatic anchoring lock for securing the mast while in vertical position during the movement of the truclr to the proper point of use, there being means associated with the look by which the operator can tilt the most to any angle necessary to cause the pull cable or cables to hang directly over the well.

Another object is to provide a loci; and adjusting device for the mast which affords, positive control oi the mast at all times by the operator and enables him to release and unstring the drum cable used in raising the mast, and in every way to make the necessary adjustmentsior accurately locating the mast before guying the same in position relative to the well.

A still further object is to equip the mast with a built-in sheave the axis of which is so positioned relative to the main or top sheave that the center of the load line or the center of gravity passes from this sheave through and across the center line of the mast where the lines oiforce or the load lines from the guys cross the center line of the mast, thereby avoiding eccentric loading of the mast and providing a means for insuring central loading of the mast so that it will not tend to bend under the load.

Another object is to arrange the sheaves so as to allow for quick and easy stringing and, un-- stringing of the cables. the location of the built-. in sheave being such as to eliminate head room such as heretofore provided for hooks and shackles used for attaching snatch blocks.

Another object is to arrange a built-in sheave in such position relative to the mast and top sheave as toallow the cable extending to the sheave to remain on the working side of the mast. A further object is to provide ei'ilcient and safe means whereby the winch power can be utilized for raising and lowering the mast. the v usual drum brake being used during the lowering operation.

Another object is to utilize a telescopic mast wherein the internal pole or member provides a shielded and protected means for the extension mechanism and also a means for holding an ex tension lock releasing gear, an extension pull rope or cable being utilized for cooperating with the winch for raising the extensible section of r the mast.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds,

the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure l is a side elevation oi a portion of a truck equipped with the present improvements, the mast being shown by full lines locked in vertical position for transportation over short distances while, by broken lines, the mast has been illustrated in two other positions in which it may be supported.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of a truck and a lower portion of the vertically held mast.

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal section through a portion of the truck and showing, in plan, the anchoring lock and its adjusting means. the mast being removed and the lock being shown by full lines in one position and by broken lines in another position.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the anchoring lock 5 Figure 7 is an enlarged side elevation of the top portion of the mast.

Figure 8 isa vertical transverse section through the meeting portions of the top and bottom members of the mast and showing the lock for holdin them in extended positions.

Figure 9 is a view through a portion of the lock shown in Figure 8 and illustrating the position of the parts during the unlocking of the upper or slidable member of the mast.

Figure 10 is a section on line i0l0, Figure 8.

Figure 11 is a section on line ll -l I, Figure 8.

Figure 12 is a section on line l2--i2, Figure ll showing the extension stop in elevation.

Figure 13 is a vertical transverse section through the telescopic jack.

Figure 14 is a section on line I4I4, Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a section on line l5i5, Figure 13.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference I designates a motor truck provided with an engine 2 such as commonly employed for driv, ing a drum 3, spool 4 and reel 5. These parts are common to well working machinery and it is not deemed necessary to describe or show the same in detail.

Supported under the chassis 6 of the truck is a frame I comprising channeled side members or guides 8 connected by a cross beam 9. A crosshead I0 is supported by and slidable along the guides 8 and is formed with a central recess II at the sides of which are located arcuate jaws l2 mounted a swing on pivot pins i3. These jaws are formed with arms i4 each of which is pivotally connected at I5 to one end of a rod i6 slidable within a pivoted guide block H. A thrust spring i8 is mounted on each rod l6 and bears at one end against block il while its other end thrusts against a fork i9 on the rod and straddling arm l4 so as to be engaged by the pin l5. These springs and rods are so located as to hold the inner ends of jaws i2 pressed against each other when the jaws are open as in Figure 4. However when pressure is exerted against the inner ends of the jaws for the purpose of swinging their outer ends toward each other, the pins i5 will move past their dead centers so that the jaws will thus be held in their new or closed positions.

A latch lever is pivotally mounted at 2| on the cross-head Ill and has a spacing block or extension 22 at one end while its other end is formed with a finger 23 engaged by a spring 24 anchored to the cross-head. This spring serves to hold lever 20 normally pressed forward against a stop pin 25, two of these pins being used for limiting the closing movement of the jaws i2. This position of the jaws has been illustrated in Figure 3 and it will benoted that when the jaws are thus located, the block or extension 22 is seated between the inner ends of the jaws so as to prevent them from opening to the position illustrated in Figure 4.

A hand lever 26 is fulcrumed on pin 2! carrying lever 20 and has a tripping finger 21 extending therefrom in front of lever 20. A spring 28 connected to this lever and to the cross-head serves to hold the lever normally positioned as in Figure 3. However, by pulling'lever 26 to the right in Figure 3 its finger 21 will thrust back on lever 20 so as to overcome spring 24 and withdraw block 22 from between the jaws i2. Thus the jaws will be released and free to swing open when an outward force is exerted against their outer or free ends. Consequently the parts can move to the positions shown in Figure 4. After this action has taken place the lever 26 is released and spring 28- will swing it back to the position shown in Figure 3 while spring 24 will move lever 20 and block 22 away from the temporary positions shown in Figure 4 and back to their normal positions against stop at which time block 22 will be located behind the ends of v the jaws. Thus when the mast is swung into upstanding position, its lower end will press against the inner meeting ends of the jaws l2 and force them against the spring restrained block 22 back of said ends. This action will continue until the ends of the jaws clear the block whereupon said block will snap outwardly to position between the ends of the jaws and lock them as shown in Figure 3.

The cross-head I0 is mounted to slide within the guides 8, carrying with it the anchor lock formed by the jaws l2 and the parts cooperating therewith. For the purpose of sliding the crosshead, links 29 are pivotally attached thereto at equal distances from the center of the crosshead and extend backwardly through guide openings 30 in the cross-beam 9. The back ends of these links are pivotally attached to the forward ends of crossed floating levers 32 which are pivotally connected at their centers as shown at 33 and are joined at their other ends to the side members 'I by links 34. A shifting lever 35 is connected to one of the side members 1 by one or more links 36 and is joined between its ends to levers 32 by the pivotal connection 33. The other end of lever 35 is provided with a socket 31 in which a nut 38 is rotatably mounted. This nut is engaged by a feed screw 39 extending'from one end of a stem 40 journalled in the beam 9 and the other end of this stem has a head 4i for engagement by a suitable wrench. Thus it will be noted that by rotating stem 40 and screw 39, lever 35 can be shifted to transmit motion through the crossed levers 32 which thus will act to thrust or pull on links 29 and move the crosshead in the desired direction 'along guides 8.

Erected on the truck body is a suitably braced frame 42 in which is fulcrumed a cross-bar 43 provided with a sleeve 44 tightly embracing and suitably secured to the lower tubular member 45 of the mast. Stationary braces 45 connect 4 one end of the cross-bar to the lower mast section while adjustable braces 41 connect the other end of the cross-bar to said section. This section may be equipped with steps 48 such as commonly employed.

Mounted on the lower end of section 45 is an apertured cap 49 constituting the guide for a tubular telescopic jack 50 to the lower end of which is connected a suitably shaped foot 5|. The upper end of the jack is closed and has an annular enlargement 52 for slidably engaging the inner surface of mast member 45.

Opposed longitudinal slots 53 are formed in that portion of ,the jack normally housed in member 45 and secured within the jack between the slots are parallel racks 54 and 55, the teeth of one rack being arranged out of line with the teeth of the other rack. Gears 56 and 51 mesh with the respective racks and both are keyed or otherwise fastened to a shaft 58 extending through slots 53 and journalled in diametrically opposed portions of member 45. A notched wheel 59 is secured to one end of this shaft and has a hub 60 for engagement by any suitable means, such as a bar, not shown, for inseat in anyone of the notches in wheel 69 to the load to which the mast is subjected will be transferred to the Jack.

The upper or slidable member of the telescopic mast has been indicated at 85 and is slidable within the member 45. It is provided at its upper end with acap 86 housing a centrally located sheave $1. The pulling line BI and the bailing line 69 are both adapted to bemounted on, this sheave 81. Below the main sheave Bl is another sheave" Id rotatable in a plane inclined relative to the member 8 and extending. longitudinally oi the axis of rotation oi sheave 61. Guy lines Ii are adapted to be joined to the top of the mast as shown and sheave it is so located that the center oi gravity therethrough is along a line which crosses the center line of the mast approximately at the point where the lines of the guys cross said center line. Therefore the mast will not tend to bend under a load. The construction and arrangement of sheave it provides for a quick and easy means for stringing and unstringing a cable to it and as .it is built into the mast close up to the top sheave ti,

as shown, head room is eliminated which is ordinarily provided in the form of space used for hooks and shackles required for attaching snatch blocks. The arrangement of sheave it also allows the cable running to the sheave to remain on the working side of the mast.

Within the member 65 is a cross pin E2 on which is mounted a. diametrical sleeve i3 hearing at its-ends against member d5. This sleeve supports an integral tubular standard Hi on the upper end of which is secured a head l5 carrying a sheave l6.

Opposed slots Tl are formed in standard it and a guide pin i8 extends diametrically across the standard between and near the lower ends of the slots. An elongated slide W is mounted in the standard and has a longitudinal slot 60 through which pins it extend. This slide is yieldingly supported by a spring@ i anchored at 82 in standard it and the lower end of the slide is connected by a rod 83 to a lever 8t fulcrumed at 85 in the member it. The other end oi this lever has a socket as for receiving an operating bar Bl or the like adapted to be inserted through and reciprocated in a short slot 88 formed in the member 35.

Pivotally mounted on member 55 are upwardly extended latch levers 89 which are oppositely disposed. Each of these levers has a head fill adapted to extend through an opening 9! in member t5 and toward the opposed head 90. The pivot pins 92 on which levers 89 are mounted are supported by the walls of housings 93 on.

pressed into position beneath the lower end of mast section 85 when said section is extended as in Figures 8 and 11. When said section is not extended, the heads will be pressed againstopposed portions thereof as will be obvious.

Upwardly diverging links 91 are pivoted on the pin 18 and theirupper ends are pivotallyconnected at 98 to intermediate portions of downwardly diverging tripping dogs 88. These dogs are pivotally mounted at their upper ends on the slide 19" as indicated at Hill. The lower ends of the dogs are located between heads 90. Thus when lever 84 is pulled downwardly and slide '19 is moved therewith against the actlonoi' spring 8|, the dogs 99 will be swung downwardly'and outwardly so as to press against heads 90 and thrust them outwardly irom under member 65 as shown in Figure 9. v

A lifting cable I0! is mounted on sheaves I6 and has one end fastened at .lil2 tothe lower portion of member 65. The other portion 0! this cable is extended downwardly within members 6B and 65 to a guide sheave Hi3 mounted in a slot mt near the lower end of memberli. From this sheave the cable Mi can be extended to the spool d. r Another sheave W5 is cameo. by the lower portion of mast member t5 and is engaged by drum cable tilt which extends upwardly over sheave 6i and thence downwardly to the bottom of the mast where it is anchored as shown at WI. The other end of this cable is connected to the drum and thus by winding it on the drum the mast can be swung from a horizontal position as indicated at A in Figure 1, to the full line or vertical position shown in said figure. When brought to this latter position the member id will swing between the open jaws it, as shown in Figure 4, and, by pressing against the back ends of the jaws will cause them to snap shut around the mast while at the same time the block 22 will spring forward between the jaws and lock a them as in Figure 3. By now coupling cable iiii to spool t after the line tilt has been detached,

ited by a substantially V-shaped stop strip Hit.

fastened on member 65 and movable against a stop pin wt carried by member t5.

-By shifting the truck the line suspended from the mast can be brought into position adjacent to the well and by then adjusting cross-head id soas to tilt the mast, the line can be positioned directly over the well. With the parts thus arranged the -jack til is lowered and locked to receive the load and the structure is then ready for use.

To lower and move the mast the operator raises the jack by means of the gears. He then actuates lever 84 to push the heads til from under member 65 and, it being understood that cable lfli has been connected to the brake drum, mast section 65 can then be lowered into section 45. Thereafter line I06, which has been anchored at it! and joined to the brake drum, can be paid out to allow the mast to swing gradually into horizontal position. It is to be understood, of course, that before the mast can be swung, it is necessary to shift lever 26 so as to withdraw block 22 and release jaws i2.

What is claimed is: 1. The combination with a support and opposed anchoring jaws pivoted thereon between their ends, of a mast mounted on the support for up and down swinging movement, said jaws being positioned simultaneously to receive thrust at one end from the mast for actuation thereby when the mast is swung to one extreme position, thereby to close the jaws at their other ends about the mast, and means for locking the jaws automatically when closed.

2. The combination with a support and opposed movable jaws thereon, of a mast mounted on the support'and normally removed from between the jaws, said mast being located to swing into position between the jaws and into engagement with both jaws simultaneously to shift.

them from normal positions, means for automatically closing the jaws about the mast when engaged and shifted by the mast, and means for automatically locking the jaws about the mast.

3. The combination with asupport and opposed movable jaws thereon, of a mast pivotally mounted between its ends for up and down swinging movement and movable into engagement with and between the jaws to shift the jaws into mast engaging position, means for locking the jaws in said position, and means for adjusting the jaws relative to the support while in engagement with the mastto adjust the mast angularly about its pivot.

4. The combination with a support including a frame and a cross-head slidable along the frame, of opposed jaws movable on the cross-head, a mast carried by the support and pivotally mounted between its ends for up and down swinging movement relative to the support, said mast when swung into upstanding position being movable into position between and against portions of thejaws to shift the jaws into mast engaging position, means for locking the jaws in said position, and means for shifting the cross-head while the jaws are locked, to adjust the mast angularly about its pivot.

5. The combination with a support including a frame and a, cross-head slidable along the frame,

of opposed jaws movable on the cross-head, a

mast carried by the support and pivotally mounted between its ends for up and down swinging movement relative to the support, said mast when swung into upstanding position being movable into position between and against portions of the jaws to shift the jaws into mast engaging position, means for locking the jaws in said position, and means for shifting the cross-head while the jaws are locked, to adjust the mast angularly about its pivot, said means including crossed pivotally connected levers each movably anchored at one end to the frame, slidable connections between two of the levers and the cross-head, and

actuating means engaging the other lever.

mounted to swing thereon about an intermediate transverse axis, of opposed jaws pivotally mounted on the support between their ends, yielding means for holding the jaws normally open and abutting at one end against each other, a locking element movably mounted adjacent to the jaws, said mast being positioned to swing against the jaws to move their abutting ends apart and close the jaws about the mast, said yielding means being shiftable past dead centers by the movement of the jaws to grip the jaws about the mast and release the locking element, and means for automatically shifting the released locking element between the jaws to secure them about the mast. e

7. The combination with a support and a pivoted mast thereon, of opposed jaws movably mounted on the support, said jaws being positioned for actuation by the mast when swung to one extreme position, to engage and hold the mast, a locking element movable relative to the jaws, means for automatically shifting said element into engagement with the jaws to lock them in mast holding position, and means under the control of an operator for disengaging said ele-'- ment from the jaws to release the mast when shifted out of said extreme position relative to the jaws.

8. Apparatus of the class described including a portable support, a mast mounted thereon between its ends for swinging movement about a transverse axis, a jack telescopically mounted in one end of the mast, cooperating toothed elements in the jack and mast for shifting the jack relative to the mast, and means for locking one of said elements against movement to hold the jack fixed relative to the mast.

9. Apparatus of the class described including a portable support, a mast mounted thereon between its ends for swinging movement about a transverse axis, a jack telescopically mounted in oneend of the mast, a rack in the jack, a gear carried by the mast and meshing with the rack, means for rotating the gear to shift the rack and jack relative to the mast, and means cooperating with said gear rotating means for holding the gear against rotation.

10. Apparatus of the class described including telescoping mast sections, a lifting cable secured to one of the sections, sheaves located in the respective section for engagement bythe cable, said cable and sheaves cooperating to raise or lower one of the sections relative to the other by the actuation of the cable, latch levers carried by one of the sections having portions projecting normally into the path of the other section, and means movably mounted within one of the sections and shiftable manually from a point therebelow for actuating the latch levers to remove J them from the path of the other section.

11. Apparatus of the class described including a mast having a lower section andamovable upper section slidable therein, a sheave carried by the lower section, another sheave supported by the lower section but within the upper section, a lifting cable secured to the upper section and extending upwardly over the last named sheave and thence downwardly within the sections to the first named sheave, latching means carried by the lower section and movable under the upper section to support it in elevated position, means supported by the lower section for engaging the latching means, and means under the control of an operator for shifting said engaging means to thrust the latching means from under the upper section to release it.

12. Apparatus of the class described including a mast having an upper section and a lower section, said sections telescoping, a standard supported within the lower section and projecting into the upper section, a sheave carried thereby within the upper section, a lifting cable secured to the upper section and extending over said sheave and thence downwardly within the lower section, means on the respective sections and cooperating to limit the upward movement of the upper section, a latch lever carried by the lower section and normally pressed thereinto for movement under the upper section to support it, a yieldingly supported tripping dog within the standard, a slide connected thereto, means adjacent the lower end of the lower section for actuating the slide, thereby to move the tripping dog, and means operated by the movement of the slide for thrusting the dog against the leverto shift said lever out of the path of the upper section.

13. Apparatus of the class described including a portable supporting structure, a telescopic mast carried thereby, a main sheave in the top of the mast, a cap on the mast adjacent to the sheave,

guys connected to'the cap and extending along lines crossing at a point above the sheave, and a second sheave carried by the mast below the main sheave, said second sheave being rotatable in a plane at right angles to the plane of rotation of the main sheave and extending substantially to the point of crossing of the lines of the guys.

Asa JUDSON 1mm; 15 

